


Stars Align

by mambabasa



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, M/M, No Beta, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-11
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:54:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26398237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mambabasa/pseuds/mambabasa
Summary: To prevent the coming wildcards from becoming pawns in a rigged game, in a last-ditch effort, Igor and Lavenza create and send a guide into the past to find the tricksters.How significantly will the course of their destinies change when their inevitable meeting occurs seven years earlier than originally anticipated?
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Comments: 12
Kudos: 86





	1. Prologue

Another resounding boom echoes off the walls of the ornate private reading room. With it came the crashing sounds of wine bottles, furniture toppling over, and books tumbling to the floor. Nearing the back wall in front of the fireplace sat the master of the room hunched over the only table left standing. Face contorted in anguish and deep concentration.

“Master!” cried a little girl in a blue dress, “I don’t think we can hold it off for much longer!”

Her Master, Igor, opens his eyes to the frightened girl, Lavenza his assistant. He then looks past her to the door on the opposite side. Sealed shut with many bindings he had cast to prevent the malevolent force from seeping in. The walls shake again as the door lurches forward in another attempt to destroy it. The lone chandelier above shakes violently and dislodges itself. Crashing into the floor. Glass splintering off in every direction. While cracks begin to form and widen along the blue walls and high ceiling with each coming assault.

“Master! What should we do? At this rate, the Velvet Room will be compromised!”

The girl's fear-filled voice grabs his attention again and he looks back at her. To her surprise as she gazes upon her master instead of despair or dread the girl shockingly finds an unyielding conviction.

“Lavenza…” He begins calmly, “There is perhaps one final gambit we can make to secure the future of mankind. Can you buy me some time?”

Lavenza briefly hesitates, but as she stares back at the newfound determination from her Master, she steels herself, “Of course.”

With a new burning resolve, the girl turns back towards the door. With a flourish, the book in her hand opens as she directs all her strength to holding the door shut and reinforcing the structure of the room.

Using the last dredges of his powers, Igor reaches into the collective unconscious. His eyes tighten as he searches the wide expanse in a meticulous yet frantic manner. In his hands he gathers something light, warm, and inviting. He finds other similar pieces that burn brightly against the darkness. A chime of laughter, a gentle smile, a warm meal. He gathers those fragmented dreams and emotions until he could find no more.

Once he pulls out, in his hands he holds “hope”. He presses the fragments together, so they meld together like clay. Exerting his last bit of energy, he gives it shape. Drained, Igor suddenly lurches over with a soft thud. Alarmed by the sound, Lavenza turns back to find a small black and white kitten asleep by her master. When she finishes establishing another binding upon the door, she runs over and takes the creature from her master’s table and murmurs against its soft fur.

“Please…”

She too pours all her hopes into the tiny kitten. Her unyielding belief in the coming wildcards that will save the souls of humanity from the evil being beyond the door. As she continues to speak, a faint blue light envelops the kitten.

“In our stead…find the tricksters. Guide them. Protect them… until the time finally comes…”

She lifts the glowing ball of light cradling the small creature upward. It slowly hovers off her hands towards the ceiling until finally dissipating into tiny blue butterflies.

The door then bursts open with so much force it travels across the room and smashes into pieces as it contacts the wall. The two stares tenaciously at the intruder cloaked in a veil of dark energy as it steps into the room with long purposeful strides. Ready to do battle, Lavenza falls into a fighting stance, book in hand and Igor wearily rises from his seat. Though it is all for naught. In an instant, the malicious force swallows the room whole.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! This is the first time I have ever written and posted fanfiction, so I am very open to any constructive criticism to help me flesh out my writing.
> 
> I have been lurking in this fandom for such a long time, and I just thought I'd finally throw my hat into the mix.


	2. Awakening

A dull pain awoke him from his death-like slumber. With a grunt, he lifted his head off the ground but immediately felt disoriented.

“Erk… Where am I…?” He breathed out.

He looked around and noticed he was lying on the concrete floor of some sort of alleyway filled with random debris and weeds. He tried to stand up on his two feet but felt a strange sensation as he took his first few steps.

‘Maybe I injured myself,’ He thought, ‘That must be how I ended up in this alleyway. Wait why am I here anyway?’

He tried to recall how he got there and how he must have gotten hurt, but all he drew was a blank.

‘That’s weird… Maybe I should find someone. Perhaps they may know me or could lead me to a doctor or something.’

He tried to stand up again when he got over the initial vertigo and wobbled out of the alleyway into the open street. His confusion only grew as he took in the sight before him. It was early morning, so the street was mostly empty. Some of the stores were only beginning to open up shop, and vendors prepping to cook their first batches of food for the morning rush, yet it all looked uncanny. Everything seemed way bigger than he felt he should normally be seen, and the angle was off. He felt he was looking at everything from a worm’s eye view. Did he shrink somehow or was he always this short? He tried to shrug the thoughts away as he made his way down the road.

\---

“This is weird.” He repeated aloud for the fifth time, as he continued sauntering down the street taking in the unfamiliar surroundings, “This has got to be some kind of weird fever dream or something. Yeah! I must be dreaming!”

He quickly shut his eyes tightly trying to will himself out of this nightmare. After a short minute, he felt humiliated and gave up with a sigh. In his growing distress, he then grabbed his head and began to shake it violently, as though it would make things any better.

“Ugh! What’s going on?!”

He hoped someone, anyone would answer his plea, but there were only the ambient sounds of the street. But after a few seconds, someone answered his prayer and a voice broke the awkward silence.

“Mommy! Mommy! What’s it doing?”

He immediately turns in the direction of the voice to spy a little girl tugging her mother’s hand on the other side of the road pointing and gawking at him.

He grimaces, ‘Yikes. She probably thinks I’m a freak for panicking in public.’

“I don’t know?” the mother responds earnestly, “I’ve never seen a cat stand up and walk like that before.”

At that moment the world froze.

Cat…Cat…? She said “cat” right? No, that’s got to be wrong. He was human. No. He was sure he was human. He had no idea how he knew, but deep in his gut, he knew he was human. Even so, the dread that was already gnawing at him grew exponentially as he turned and dashed to find the nearest possible reflective surface to try and quell his erratic emotions. In his panic, he unknowingly moved on all fours on instinct as he ran down the street looking at anything that could serve as a mirror. He soon spotted a sign for a public bathroom and immediately ran in and jumped on top of the sink to look at himself.

“GAAAAAAHHH!”

Comically, he jumps away from his reflection at the revelation of his appearance.

It was undeniable. He was a cat.

He again approached the mirror after taking several large breaths to calm himself down to reevaluate his appearance. He was a cute black and white tuxedo kitten that looked to be no more than five weeks old he noted as he stared into his reflection, his mouth gaping wider the longer he looked.

“How is this possible? Have I been cursed? Is that why I don’t remember who I am?” he screeched.

He heard a faint jingle like a bell that broke him out of his thoughts. He looked again at his reflection only now noticing that he had a blue-collar around his neck. He took his ha—no, paw to hold the tag up so he could read it and gather some clue of who he was. There was only one word etched into the tag, “Morgana”. That must have been his name.

Morgana stared dejectedly at himself completely lost on what he should even do next. He felt like someone threw him into the ocean without any way to make it back to shore. He was about to give up hope when a muffled voice entered his thoughts.

**_…P-p-pl… ease-e-e…_ **

His ears perked up at the sudden feminine voice to try and hear her better, but it felt like the voice was pervading his entire being. Even so, he looked around in every direction until his eyes moved upwards. A faint blue butterfly was weakly flying above him in a circular path.

**_…I-in o-o-our st-t-tead…_ **

It was difficult to make out the voice, but he listened attentively like it was the lifeline that would prevent him from drowning in his turbulent emotions and answer his unspoken questions.

**_…find t-the trick…sters… Guide…them. Protect them… until th-the t-t-time-e-e…fi-i-i-i…_ **

The butterfly faded out of existence as the voice became weaker and silence returned to the bathroom. Morgana continued to look up at where the butterfly last was in contemplation of the sudden message. He was supposed to find, guide, and protect someone... “Tricksters,” the voice had said. After a few more minutes, he decided what he must do. He bounded off the sink, out the bathroom, and was back into the street. He didn’t know where he was going or who he needed to find, but he followed the strong _pull_ he felt in his heart. He followed the tugging sensation as it led him to a train station and quickly snuck onto the first ride out of town that he knew would lead him to his first target. For once things somehow felt right since his sudden transformation. If he were to complete his task by finding these tricksters, it should lead him to the reason for his changed appearance, a way to regain his true form, and his lost memories. At least that was the hope he clung on to.

\---

Based on a map on the first train he had started out in Matsushima in the Miyagi Prefecture and was slowly heading southward. He had already switched trains every couple of stops to ensure that he was heading in the right direction, or whatever he felt was the right direction. Trying to sense the _pull_ each time before he hitched a ride on the next train, but half the time he felt that he was just guessing.

At the moment, he was currently hiding under the passenger seats of the carriage for one more ride before the trains stopped for the day. As the train finally turned over for its last stop at some station in Soma, Fukushima, he knew he was still nowhere close to where he should be. He’d need to stake out by the train station and leave at the first departure to maximize his time. Slinking past the remaining passengers, Morgana tried to find a place to stay for the night. Luckily, in the corner of the platform was an abandoned hoodie. With his teeth, he dragged it towards one of the nearby benches and set it underneath. Tired of all that he had accomplished thus far. He collapses and curls in on himself on his makeshift bed into a dreamless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the positive comments last week. I was tempted to respond to you all, but I am a shy little potato so please forgive me. Maybe next time… but know that I am very happy!
> 
> Anyway… I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I liked writing it. I already have the next one ready. I’m just going proofread it some more, but yeah, I think I can pull off a consistent schedule at this rate. I even plan to add spontaneous updates on Mondays if I have a lot of chapters done in advance since they are relatively shortish so far and I am splitting them into chapters based on what I think would make for good pacing not how much I can write in a week. Because at the rate I am writing and splitting them into chapters it may take forever for them to get posted, but we’ll see what I do as time goes on.
> 
> If I ever deviate due to reasons, I’ll be sure to leave a note saying so. 
> 
> Lastly, thanks for the kudos. Till next time.


	3. Bullseye

Goro's life is shit.

It was the third time this week that the same group of older kids had stolen his food and threw it at his face. Laughing and snickering all the while.

“Take that you son of a bitch!”

A sharp pain ran through his body as he was kicked into the wall. His arms barely came together in time to block the blow but left him unable to lessen his impact with the wood. He slumped down against it and furiously glared at his aggressors. Yet their wicked smiles only widened at Goro’s almost admirable intimidation. After all they knew and he knew, he was no match for five fifteen-year-olds.

They kicked him upside the head for good measure and spat at his face as they boisterously walked away. Shouting even more derogatory slander at him and his deceased mother.

Even when he couldn’t hear them anymore, he sits there. Eyes clamped shut wishing a vicious prayer to whatever sick god was listening. He curses the older kids, curses the younger children, curses the awful adults, and for all he cares the entire world for his sick joke of a life. But even in his detached state as he wishes for death upon everyone around him, tears were pricking his eyes and threatening to spill over.

‘No!’ he thought as he violently shook his head.

He wouldn’t cry he resolved. He had had enough of crying. Crying didn’t solve anything after all. If crying didn’t bring back his mother, then crying wouldn’t get him out of this godforsaken orphanage any faster. He took a deep breath to calm himself down and screwed on a dispassionate mask over his face, as he rose and walked over to the communal bathroom to clean his clothes and body so he would appear immaculate once more.

\---

He walked out of the orphanage director’s office. He had just been informed that in two weeks he was to be taken under the care of a couple located in the Katsushika. He should have been happy at the chance to escape the orphanage, at the possibility of a new peaceful family life, but he had long stopped hoping. No matter where he went and how saintly he acted, they would simply use Goro for whatever little he was worth to them to have bothered keeping him under their roof before discarding him once he fulfilled his purpose. All too often desperate couples would offer to foster children, so they could get a monthly stipend from the government, which was supposed to be an incentive for the program and to help pay for the child’s needs. But rarely did Goro ever see a single yen from his caretakers. They’d instead drown themselves on worldly desires such as alcohol, prostitutes, or gambling, while all he’d ever get was some stale rice from the night before and a lone blanket to serve as a buffer between him and the floor.

These days he didn’t have much of a choice to whom was sent off to. The orphanage director was desperate to get rid of him as he was starting to become too old to even have a realistic chance of being officially adopted by a willing couple. He was only ten, but they were trying desperately this year to pawn him off. Now spending more time with sham foster parents than at the orphanage.

He began walking around the perimeter of the large yard and makeshift garden of the institution. Pressing his hand along the weathered wooden fence. Humming the newest Featherman opening song he had already committed to memory.

He was interrupted from his aimless walk when he heard screaming coming from the adjacent fence wall. A few girls gathered there had run away. One of them was holding up a bleeding finger. He squinted his eyes at the sight then followed his eyes to where the girls had been before. Apparently, their assailant was a small kitten they were probably trying to pet. One of the social workers looked at the bite on the weeping girl’s finger and quickly moved to take the kitten out of the orphanage grounds. The cat meowed loudly at the worker before expertly maneuvering around him and gracefully jumping past the fencing with great dexterity. He huffed a laugh at the social worker’s futile attempt, then turned away in the opposite direction.

\---

The little kitten from before, rapidly became notorious in the one week it began terrorizing the other orphans. From what he had heard, the kitten would try to approach a different child every hour or so and sniff them. Only to immediately become completely disinterested. Anyone who would try to approach the cat after failing its “test” was bound to get hissed and bitten at in retaliation before it marched off to find its next poor victim. Goro found it absolutely hilarious that the recent unrest within the orphanage originated from a single cat that was probably no larger than the books he’d read. Sometimes, he has the honor to come across one of the pathetic kids in the act as they tried to pet it only to come out with a bleeding hand or claw marks all over their arms.

Goro slowly grew bored with the kitten’s antics as his mind turned to becoming mentally prepared for the next foster set of parents. That was until he finally came face to face with the cat.

\---

In the middle of the night, he had left the dormitory to use the bathroom. As he moved to leave, in front of the door was the infamous cat. Its azure eyes notably burning brightly against the darkness. It rhythmically swayed its tail back and forth as if trying to urge Goro to approach him. To test him. To see if he was worthy.

What a melodramatic cat.

Exhausted, wanting to just get it over, and go the fuck back to sleep. He nonchalantly crouched down and held out his left hand to the kitten. It took a step forward and inched its face at Goro’s fingers sniffing them. Then it began swiping its tongue at his hand then pushing its little head into his open palm purring softly.

Wait what? Wasn’t it supposed to bite his fingers or claw his arms off? Nope. Here it was. The notorious cat now demanding head pats from him.

“Meow. Meow. Meoooow!”

Its blue eyes looked straight at his as it continued rubbing its cheeks. In the meantime, he eyed the blue-collar around its neck and tried to make out the name printed on the tag in the moonlight.

“…Morgana?” he whispered, “As in Morgan le Fay?”

“Mrrrooooww,” he answered back.

A strange cat with an equally strange name. Whatever it’s too late to deal with this right now. He stood up to return to his bed in the corner of the dormitory only to find as he was settling back in that the cat had followed him. It silently sat there on the floor looking up at him expectantly. Unable to stand its staring he turns to his side to face the opposite way and finally falls asleep despite the other’s now loud protests.

\---

“Nggghhhh…?” Goro roused from his sleep from the noise of the oldest children fumbling out of their beds for school. Goro was about to follow suit when he felt a small warm lump by his side.

He sat up, closed his eyes, and pinched his nose, “Don’t tell me…” He cautiously lifted the sheets to find as he had suspected the same little kitten curled up beside him. To try not to wake the cat he shifted out of his bed then promptly changed into his uniform. Watching his bed as he did so to make sure it wasn’t awake. In order to make his bed, he peeled back the blankets and attempted to lift the cat off. At least that was the plan. The moment he moved the sheets the cat shot up, shaking itself awake.

“Come on. Get off my bed,” he said as he was now folding the sheets. Somehow the cat understood him, it must have been well trained he thought, and jumped off, but was now sitting up by his feet. When he finished tidying his bed he walked over to the bathroom, and to his disappointment, the cat was still there. Tired of the cat’s persistence he shot a glare at it, toothbrush in mouth, but it just meowed back at him in acknowledgment.

What is up with this cat? Why was it so clingy? To him? Of all people?

Goro proceeded to do his day as usual. Commuting to the local elementary school, attending classes, returning to the orphanage, doing his chores, finishing his homework, eating his meals, etc. The only difference being that the damn cat went everywhere he went! Goro swore that half the time he was just paranoid, but no. If the cat wasn’t by his feet, tailing him. It was watching from out the school windows, lounging from a fence, hidden atop the shelving, anywhere and everywhere the cat could do to hide, observe, and still be near Goro. It found a way. He couldn’t help but internally praise the cat on its craftiness to avoid being tossed out by the teachers or caretakers to keep Goro within its line of sight, but it was getting extremely bothersome as the day progressed by all the stares he was getting. It didn’t help that it couldn’t stop meowing at him for attention.

After a long day, Goro was now walking down the corridor to the dormitory grumbling about today’s events and the incessant meowing from behind him. Patience wearing thin, he turned around on the ball of his foot to look down at the kitten behind him.

“Are you done?! What do you want from me?” he complained. The cat began meowing back at him in response. He remained silent as the cat continued to talk, but he slapped his face in frustration midway. Now groaning and walking to his bed.

Honestly? What was he expecting? The cat to talk back to him? The cat seemed rather intelligent, but it was damn stubborn too. He must have understood him given how he had not been subtle with the glares and forceful nudges he gave the cat, but it…

Still. Would. Not. Go. Away.

Just like last night as Goro lied in bed, the kitten sat at the floor looking up at him. Again, he turned to face away so he could go to sleep, but this time after pretending to sleep for around ten minutes he started to feel movement by his side and a warm presence settle beside him. He was tempted to kick the cat off his bed, but if today’s events were any sign, the cat wouldn’t be leaving any time soon.

‘I guess this is my life now…’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Target acquired!
> 
> I don’t know why but this chapter was hard for me to write near the end… Could you tell?
> 
> Also, for context since it probably won’t come up in a while (and because one of you scared me that I had done my math wrong). The date is sometime in March 2009. Goro is 10 years old and is finishing 4th grade currently.
> 
> 1,826 words.


	4. Devil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> “The devil that you know is better than the devil that you don’t.”
> 
> Warning: If the title and quote are of any hint there will be depictions of abuse in this chapter.

Beginning spring break, he was to finally move into his new foster parents’ residence. He had been dreading that moment the second he walked out of the director’s office because there was nothing good to look forward to. Staying at the orphanage meant being targeted by the problematic older kids and dealing with the brand of being an orphan at school. Yet it was a familiar evil. He knew what to expect each and every day.

Foster homes were more different, more variable, more unpredictable in the treatment he would receive. Some were passable. Some were neglectful. Some were abusive. But none of them were ever-loving. At their core, they were all trashy couples.

Now today was the fated day. The only difference is from all the other times he was shipped off was now he had someone to say goodbye to. As much as Morgana was a nuisance, he had to admit that he developed a soft spot for the cat. Feeding him some of his food from under the table, allowing him to hide in his desk, and leaving some space for him on his small bed for him to comfortably lie in. Though he never vocalized his affections, he felt that the cat understood. But now he had to leave. He knew he couldn’t bring the cat. A second mouth to feed would only cause an uproar if he brought it up with the director or his future guardians. So Goro did what he did best.

\---

“Morgana, here’s something I think you might like.”

It was around 6 a.m. on a Sunday. Most of the kids were still asleep and the caretakers wouldn’t come until 10 a.m., and so he had woken up without jostling Morgana awake to quickly infiltrate the kitchen and back to obtain the item he needed.

Morgana perked up at what Goro had been holding. A raw sardine. He placed it on a plate he also stole onto the floor by the bed frame.

“Go ahead and eat it. I’m going to go get ready in the meantime.”

He then patted Morgana’s head a couple of times, then quickly left to go to the bathroom where he had already left his suitcase the morning of.

He felt slightly sorry for the cat. It would be near impossible for Morgana to find him again. Not only was he going to be in a different district within Tokyo, but he was also transferring to a new elementary school in the nearby area with the coming school year to begin fifth grade. A shame he supposed, but a loss he could deal with. Hopefully, he’ll find some other poor schmuck to bother in his place.

He finally left through the front entrance of the orphanage to find the director’s assistant already standing by the car. When he noticed Goro, he lifted his head from his phone, “Are you ready?” Goro nodded and by habit already opened the trunk of the car, placed his belongings inside, then seated himself in the backseat. Without another word, the assistant took his place in front of the wheel and the engine roared to life. Slowly they backed out of the small lot to get onto the main road.

As he turned back from the window to take one last look at the orphanage, he saw Morgana dashing out the doorway, desperately looking for him. The car sped up and soon Morgana’s form slowly shrank until it was an insignificant black dot.

He returned to a proper sitting position and breathed out.

\---

“I can’t believe I fell for that!” Morgana groaned, “Stupid! Stupid! Stuuuuupid! He used my weakness for fish against me! Gah!”

Morgana after having watched Goro slip away from him was now trying to find the nearest subway entrance to resume following him. It had taken him a months’ worth of traveling to finally find one of the tricksters. Technically, one week of train ridding from the Miyagi to arrive in Tokyo. Then another two weeks of subway hopping and running around aimlessly until he finally stumbled upon the orphanage. So, it was extremely frustrating that in less than a week he already lost him or rather Akechi ditched him. At least this time since he familiarized himself with Akechi’s aura and scent it should be easier to find him.

“When I find him again, I’m going to dig my claws into his leg and never let go!”

Morgana kept shouting profanities as he made his way down the street not paying attention to the two animal catchers creeping up behind him.

\---

The car pulled up into an old apartment complex in Shinkoiwa that looked noticeably older compared to the two other apartments it was wedged between. Goro paid no further mind and soundlessly followed the assistant up to the fourth floor of the building to the apartment to the leftmost side. He positioned himself to be partially hidden behind the man as he pressed the buzzer.

Ring. Ring.

Silence.

Ring. Ring.

At the second try, soft footsteps could be heard beyond the door. When it swung open there was a young woman. She was tall with a thin frame and long sweeping black hair. Wearing a white pinafore dress with an orange turtleneck sweater underneath. The assistant and the woman exchanged pleasantries and basic information, which Goro didn’t pay attention to until he heard his name called.

“So, you’re Goro-chan?” she sweetly asked. The woman bent down to Goro’s height. Gently smiling and holding back her hair that threatened to spill over with her left hand. An image of youthful beauty. “My name is Norita Sakaki. I’ll be your guardian from now on.”

Goro stepped towards the woman and plastered on the most pleasant mask he had. He innocently smiled back, cutely moving his head to the side. “Good morning Sakaki-san. Thank you so much for taking me in.”

“My, how well behaved,” she remarked. She brought her right hand to his face lifting a bundle of his honey brunette hair to feel between her fingers. Goro remained still, smiling, and maintaining eye contact with the woman, pretending he wasn’t repulsed with the way her eyes darkened the moment she touched him. “But there’s really no need to be so formal with me,” she continued, now looping his hair into curls with her fingertips, “If you don’t mind can you refer to me as mother or mom instead?”

“Of course, _mother_.”

Her smile widened, greatly pleased at his response. She stood back up, straightened her clothes, and fixed her hair before addressing the assistant once more. “Is there anything else I must know before you go?”

“No, I don’t believe so. Anything else on Akechi-kun should be in those documents I forwarded to you, but if you need anything else please don’t hesitate to call.”

“Thank you. Have a good rest of your day.”

“Thank you. You as well.”

They both bowed. Then the man turned to leave as Goro was ushered inside. The interior of the apartment was nothing special. A three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment with a small kitchen and balcony. It was painfully average down to the furnishings, but if anything, at least it was clean besides the faintest scent of cheap booze that hung in the air. Goro was guided down the hall to his room. She pulled back the screen door to reveal a small bedroom with traditional tatami flooring. A futon, small desk, and chair were on one side of the room with the other covered in cardboard boxes that were haphazardly shoved to the side.

“You’ll be staying here,” she said simply.

He directed his face to her and replied without any particular emotion, “Okay. May I put away my belongings for now?”

“Hmmm. You have nothing else you want to say?” She was baiting him to address the obvious fact that his room had been a makeshift storage area, but he wouldn’t fall for that.

“Of course not,” he said putting on his best smile.

Her face darkened again as she brought her hand to his chin and gently tilted his face higher. Her manicured nails slightly digging into his skin, but he kept on smiling. She squinted her eyes to examine Goro further before letting go.

“Great. You’ll do nicely…”

\---

After Goro had put away what little belongings he had, he stayed in the room sitting at the old desk. Occupying himself with the only book he had that he smuggled from the school library years ago. He knew from experience that it was best to stay out of view until they explicitly wanted him. Not that he even wanted to be under Narita’s watchful eyes.

Around six he was finally called out and was met with the rest of the Sakaki’s. There was Hideo Sakaki his _father_ and surprisingly their child Jun Sakaki his _brother_. They greeted him blandly, not even trying to put on a show as Narita had in front of the assistant. Their distaste with him as clear as day, except Jun who had a slight smile as they introduced themselves. Afterward, they set several rules for him to follow.

One. He was to address them as mother and father outside of the house and to other people. When at home it was Narita-san and Hideo-san.

Two. The curfew was 7:00 p.m. Otherwise he had free reign to go wherever and do whatever he wanted so long as it wouldn’t tarnish their reputation.

Three. He was not allowed to join them for lunch or dinner. His food would be left out in the kitchen or the fridge depending. He would eat in his room then return and wash his and their dishes.

Four. He would be provided his room, initial basic hygienic products, towel, pillow, and blanket. Anything else he must obtain himself.

Five. After covering costs for basic school supplies, he would have a weekly allowance of 1,500 yen for his personal expenditures. He would also be given a basic subway pass for him to commute to school.

Six. He must always obey them.

Seven. He was to keep quiet.

And so, his new daily life began.

\---

Morgana was currently confined inside a cage with several other cats in an animal shelter after having been captured a week ago. So far there had been no chance for escape. There was nothing in his cage that could be used to pick the lock (which added another question to his lost memories as to why he even knew how to make a lockpick). There only being a few blankets, toys, and a box of kitty litter. Whenever they came to feed them or change out the litter another employee was standing behind the gate to make sure that no one left. Even if you did make it past the employee the shelter was arranged so that there was only one exit, which was locked during feeding and cleaning time.

So far things were hopeless, but Morgana was bidding his time for the opportunity that he was made aware of three days ago. People would occasionally come by to see and maybe adopt one or two of the animals. That was his ticket out of here. Luckily, Morgana had cuteness on his side. So, he waited and waited and waited until someone would adopt him.

\---

He was now three weeks into his stay with the Sakaki’s. Spring break was rather boring having nothing to do in particular as the Sakaki’s went out almost every day to take advantage of their son’s free time. At least they left him leftovers from their take-out when they came back. Then when school began, he fell into a simple routine. Wake up, eat breakfast, go to school, buy lunch, return home, do his schoolwork, do his chores, eat dinner, wash up, then go to sleep.

He learned a bit more about them as time went on. Narita-san was a waitress in a restaurant in Akihabara. Hideo-san was a salaryman in some dead-end job. Sasaki-kun was in the same grade as him and attended the same public junior high school. He hadn’t yet interacted with them so much so he didn’t have a firm grasp on their personalities, yet he can attest that they weren’t bad so far. They were just dismissive of him, which was ultimately better than the latter. He was able to go about school normally and do whatever he wanted. Which meant aimlessly roaming around the neighborhood and lurking around the local park, book in hand. Nothing about this arrangement was particularly terrible.

For now, he would enjoy these boring peaceful days.

\---

“Akechi!”

At the call of his name, he neatly placed down his pencil and went to the living room. Hideo-san was lounging on the couch drinking his weight in cheap beer for the third day straight. His work uniform or at least what was left of it was in disarray. How disgusting.

“What do you need Hideo-san?” he politely asked, showing not a shred of judgment.

“Get me more beer from the fridge,” he said. Gesturing with the can he was holding before taking another swig of it. Goro obediently walked to the fridge and pulled out another six-pack of beer. Setting it down on the coffee table. As he moved to leave something held him in his place.

“Wait,” he slurred, “I’m not done with you just yet.” His right wrist was uncomfortably being gripped. Hideo-san remained eerily silent as he downed the rest of his beer then onehandedly cracked open another one.

Goro awkwardly stood there as he drank. Waiting.

He had hoped. Hoped that this time would be different. This time they would just ignore him. Just as they had been. Then discard him when they got all the money they needed. No, he should have known better, the moment that Sakaki-kun stopped limping back home.

He finished the second can with a sigh, and his glazed eyes flitted over to Goro. His eyes raking over his entire figure. Then it happened. He was pulled down to the floor and was shoved into the table. The corner jabbing into his gut.

“You knoooow… I’ve been tired of seeing your stupid little face each day,” he began now standing, “Being a studious student. Getting good grades. Acting like an obedient child. Despite being the discarded afterbirth of some one-night stand!” He was now yelling, punctuating each statement with a kick to his side. He held onto the table for dear life. His face planted right on the wood surface, contorted in pain.

“How dare you act like your anything more but a bastard child!” He gave one final kick that forcibly unlatched him from the table. Now curling up into himself on the floor. He kneeled and pulled at his hair to bring his face up. He kept his eyes shut. Refusing to look at how monstrous Hideo’s face had become.

“We only picked you for your looks you knoooow…*hic* …” he said. His face now so close he could smell the alcohol from his mouth, “A pretty orphan being welcomed into a new *hic* family from the kindness of their heart. My boss ate it all up… *hic*… Now it all makes sense.”

His face was slammed down.

“That you’re the son of some washed-up whore! Who killed herself not being able to look at her mistake anymore!” He was now raising his hand, clenched in a fist, ready to bring it down.

Goro pleaded, “Wait! Hideo-san! I have school tomorrow!” But at his rebuttal, all he did was deliriously cackle and laugh.

“Don’t worry. You’re wearing your winter uniform, right? There should be no problem then.”

Goro opened his mouth to speak again but was interrupted with a shout. “If you don’t stay quiet then I’ll hurt that pretty little face of yours even more!” He then leaned over and whispered, “And we don’t want that do we?”

Goro’s eyes slightly watered as he shook his head, whimpering and sniveling. A devilish smile crept over the man’s face as he spent the next hour merrily laughing, drinking, and beating Goro’s body until he was content and satisfied. Before dragging his now lifeless body across the floor back to his sad excuse of a room. Where his homework remained unfinished for the rest of the day.

\---

Morgana and an orange tabby kitten were sitting up before a young boy choosing between the two of them.

“Come on. Come on.” Morgana muttered impatiently.

“I choose that one!” said the boy pointing at the tabby.

“What why her?! I am way cuter than Ginger!” Morgana cried out as he slumped to the floor. The cat, Ginger, turned to him and started meowing up a storm.

“I’m sorry Ginger. I’m happy for you. Really. I just need to get out of here.”

Morgana’s response was seemingly acceptable to Ginger, as she began meowing him good luck before trotting towards the boy.

“Yeah. Yeah. Go have fun with your new owner,” he replied dismissively with a flick of his tail.

Another failure. That was the fifth time this week with a total of thirty-two attempts in the now six weeks he was stuck in the animal shelter. He felt rather dehumanized each time a person came to his cage and he had to act like a simple-minded adorable kitten. Maybe that’s why he was never adopted! Maybe they could tell he wasn’t really a cat! Okay, maybe that was pushing it. Well whatever the reason, the longer he stayed here the heavier the feeling in his gut was at the thought of what Akechi was doing right now (disregarding his still burning anger at having been tricked).

Morgana was snapped out of his thoughts at the commotion coming from the people outside the cage. Ginger who was previously in the boy’s hold had jumped to the mother now trying to scale up her body.

“Ah, kitty. Get down. That’s not safe,” the boy’s mother panicked. Ginger was now sitting on her shoulder, lightly pawing at her hair, and acting extremely cute.

“Aww, she likes you too mum.”

“Ha, I guess so.”

The employees led them out to finalize the papers, and Morgana turned to go mope in the corner until the next group would come by. However, something shiny caught his eye. Just a few centimeters from the chain-link fence was a single bobby-pin. His eyes widened and looked back at the door where Ginger had disappeared off to.

‘Thank you, Ginger! I’ll always remember you!’

Using his tail, he guided the bobby pin towards him and grabbed it with his claws.

  
Time to work some magic!

Using his mouth and paws he manipulated the bobby pin to be a straight piece of wire with a small hook at the end. Then he launched his body upwards to land onto the gate next to the lock. He stuck the pick in and hooked his claw outside the keyhole to act as tension. He manipulated the pick inside to try and identify the pins. Once he understood the internal layout, he began setting each of the individual pins. Once the pins were set, he steadily turned his claw.

*click*

“Yes!”

The gate door swung open with ease carrying Morgana with it. He dropped down and scampered over to the locked door. Now waiting for the employees to reenter. After twenty minutes of waiting the door opened with the employees holding bags of food and cups of water.

“Woah!” the workers exclaimed as Morgana weaved through their feet out of the room.

“Hey, wait get back here!” a worker called out moving towards grabbing Morgana, but it was too late. He had already run down the corridor to the main room and jumped to the door latch of the entrance. Using his weight to bring down the latch unlocking the final door.

“Freedom!” he whooped as he dashed down the street, “Ha, ha, ha! Try to catch me now!”

When Morgana got far away enough from the animal shelter and sure there were no catchers nearby, he took a moment to catch his breath and evaluate his next course of action. He paused and sensed his surroundings.

‘There!’

Goro was eastward and not that far too!

\---

After two consecutive shifts at work, Narita had finally returned home extremely tired. When she entered her husband was passed out on the couch surrounded by beer cans. With a sigh, she moved to put all the cans in the proper recycling and fixed the furniture that had been moved. She then turned to the more pressing matter at hand that she desperately wanted to ignore. She tried to push down her anxiety as she took out the first aid kit and walked over to the last room in the hall.

As she slid the door open, there laid Akechi unmoving on the floor.

“Hi Akechi-kun,” she whispered, “Um. Do you mind if I…treat you?”

Akechi remained motionless on the floor. Staring off at nothing in particular.

She took his lack of a protest as permission and went to move his body from the floor to the futon. Now that he wasn’t curled up on himself and lying flat, she could clearly see his injuries. Fresh blotchy purple bruises covered his arms and legs, and probably more were underneath his shirt and shorts. In addition to the bruises on his legs were multiple abrasions. A sign that he had been dragged and yanked across the floor. She carefully went to apply antiseptic, dress him, and place ice on the bruises. Trying not to cause any further pain. Akechi kept his head turned away from her as she did her work.

The silence was deafening. She didn’t know what to say, but she felt she had to say something. Even if Akechi didn’t want or need an explanation. She owed it to him.

“I’m sorry about this,” she began, “I couldn’t watch him beat Jun anymore, a-and… and I can’t leave. Not yet. I’m still too financially dependent on him. I’ve been taking more shifts and I’m handling the money the government’s been giving us for fostering you, so... Please bear it. Until we can leave him.”

She was still left unsatisfied as Akechi kept quiet. Several moments passed and she began again with an idea she had in the back of her mind, “I-I’ll try to convince Hideo to increase your allowance. That’s the least I can do.”

Still nothing. As she finished putting on the last of the bandages, she began to mentally beat herself over at the implications of what she had said. What on earth was she thinking? That money could buy Akechi’s forgiveness? She continued to berate herself until she had fully patched Akechi up. As she moved to leave, she couldn’t help herself as she apologized once more.

She lingered by the doorway a bit longer. Maybe she hoped Akechi would say something, anything, that justified her decisions. That would erase all the guilt she felt at dragging this poor boy, who had already suffered enough, into their mess. Of course, he just continued to lay there quietly, as she had told him, as she had hoped, as she had expected, as she had originally wanted.

She closed the screen door as she left.

\---

Silence permeated the room, punctuated with the cawing of crows and fluttering of wings. The room slowly melded into an orange hue as he continued to lay there in complete silence until he began to hear quiet laughter.

But from where?

It was getting louder.

And louder.

Oh.

He was laughing.

A sick broken laughter was spilling from his lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for how heavy this chapter is. I swear things will get better.
> 
> Also, sorry anyone who is actually following this, but I don't think I will be able to post next week or maybe even the week after that. I currently don't have anything prepared. My personal life has been extremely stressful and bothersome especially concerning my own mental health. I want to return to writing this in a better state of mind, as since I have finished this one I have been unable to write "well". I honestly wrote this a while ago when I felt better but since fell off the rails. I know I am under no obligation to post weekly but I feel happier with a schedule in mind... I don't know... Well anyway, sorry to spill my guts here momentarily, hopefully, I'll be back soon with another chapter.


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